Hardened Heart as Redemptive Counsel

במדרש כי אני הכבדתי.

“In the Midrash: ‘For I have hardened [his heart].’”

The Sefat Emet cites the Midrash, which explains the divine statement about God hardening Pharaoh’s heart.

פי' שהי' עצה מהש"י להכביד לבו כדי שיסייע זה לגאול את ישראל.

“This means that it was a counsel from the Holy One to harden his heart, so that this would aid in the redemption of Israel.”

The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was not merely punitive; it served as part of God’s plan to intensify the redemption process and reveal divine power.

כמ"ש לולי כעס אויב כו':

“As it is written: ‘Were it not for the anger of the enemy…’”

He alludes to the verse indicating that even the fierceness of Israel’s enemies is used by God for a higher purpose—ultimately leading to Israel’s deliverance.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was a deliberate divine strategy, transforming the enemy’s resistance into a force that advanced Israel’s redemption.